indifferent
Ambivalent; unconcerned; uninterested, apathetic.
“I must not hope to be ever situated as you are, in the midst of every dearest connexion, and therefore I cannot expect that simply growing older should make me indifferent about letters.” / “Indifferent! Oh! no—I never conceived you could become indifferent. Letters are no matter of indifference; they are generally a very positive curse.”
When you have a hundred francs in the world you are liable to the most craven panics. When you have only three francs you are quite indifferent; for three francs will feed you till tomorrow, and you cannot think further than that. You are bored, but you are not afraid.
Indicating or reflecting a lack of concern or care.
Donald appeared not to see her at all, and answered her wise little remarks with curtly indifferent monosyllables […]
Then she shrugged, the mildest, most indifferent gesture he had ever seen, and smiled.
‘Wonderful, Florence,’ I said, producing the ritual phrases: ‘I don’t know what I would do without you.’ But of course I do know. I would sink into the indifferent squalor of old age.
Mediocre (usually used negatively in modern usage).
When Mrs. Honour had made her Report from the Landlord, Sophia, with much Difficulty, procured some indifferent Horses, which brought her to the Inn, where Jones had been confined rather by the Misfortune of meeting with a Surgeon, than by having met with a broken Head.
[T]he state-rooms are unaired, and in indifferent order, since of late years.
Having no preference.
Let Guilt or Fear / Disturb Man’s Rest: Cato knows neither of ’em, / Indiff’rent in his Choice to sleep or die.
The scientific worker aims at knowledge and is quite indifferent whether people like or dislike the knowledge he produces.
Not making a difference; without significance or importance.
His gestures, his gait, his grizzled beard, his slightest and most indifferent acts, the very fashion of his garments, were odious in the clergyman’s sight; […]
(mechanics) Being in the state of neutral equilibrium.
(obsolete) Not different, matching.
[…] let their heads be sleekly comb’d, their blue coats brush’d and their garters of an indifferent knit
A person who is indifferent or apathetic.
(obsolete) To some extent, in some degree (intermediate between very and not at all); moderately, tolerably, fairly.
Get thee [to] a Nunry, why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners, I am my selfe indifferent honest, but yet I could accuse mee of such things, that it were better my Mother had not bourne mee […]
(obsolete) Without distinction or preference for some over others.
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